IND vs WI: Ishan Kishan Just Had One Of Those Days With The Bat: Deep Dasgupta On Jharkhand Batter's Stagnant Approach In First T20I

Former Indian cricketer Deep Dasgupta opined that KL Rahul should open the innings with Rohit Sharma in T20 Internationals once the Karnataka player returns back to the side. Rahul was ruled out of the T20I series against West Indies after he sustained a hamstring injury while fielding in the second ODI match against the same opponents in Ahmedabad.

Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan opened the innings with skipper Rohit Sharma, the duo put 64 runs together in the opening stand before the latter departed in the eighth over to Roston Chase.

Ishan Kishan struggled to score at pace against West Indies in the first T20I match

India were 44 for no loss at the end of the fourth over but Ishan had scored just nine runs from 11 balls. He smashed four boundaries before he got dismissed in the 12th over, scoring 35 from 42 balls at the strike rate of 83.33.

Ishan Kishan just had one of those days with the bat: Deep Dasgupta

Dasgupta said Ishan was trying too hard to play his shots and they weren’t connecting well enough. The former Indian player said KL Rahul should open the innings with Rohit Sharma in the shortest format.

“Kishan just had one of those days with the bat. He was trying, it was not like he was not trying. Either the shots were finding the fielders or he was not finding the middle of the bat. Sometimes what happens is that when you’re trying too hard, you don’t find the middle of the bat,” Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel. 

“That, I think he will learn with experience and maturity. It is important how he manages such days. So, not the usual Ishan Kishan innings, but it’s alright. Rohit’s innings was sublime. He never looks out of form. Even if he scores 10, 20, or 30, he always looks in form. The 55 runs in the first 5 overs helped a lot in chasing down the score. 

“Don’t think KL Rahul is an option for the middle order in T20s. KL Rahul is such a player, who can effortlessly play with a strike rate in excess of 140. When fit and available, he should partner Rohit Sharma at the top.

“But the change in the mindset, that’s important. KL Rahul is as good as anyone in world cricket. Ideally, he should open the innings,” he further mentioned.

India required 38 runs from the last five overs, Suryakumar Yadav (34) and Venkatesh Iyer (24) ensured the job was done as the hosts chased the target with seven balls to spare. India will play the second T20I match against West Indies on Friday (February 18) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

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